Reed for wind instruments



1966 A. MONTENARE REED FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed June 25, 1962 2 32 32FIG 2 FIG-l FIGJ! FIG.IO

INVENTOR. ANTHONY MONTENAR E ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,236,140REED FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Anthony Montenare, 326 N. 4th St., Reading,Pa. Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,992 10 Claims. (Cl. 84375) Thisinvention is addressed to an improved need for wind instruments, such asaccordians.

An object of the invention is to reduce the thickness of the reedswithout impairing the tone or other qualities inherent in reeds of theprior art.

Another object is to provide a novel valve construction for reeds.

An additional object is to provide a novel means for removing one of thereed plates to provide for tuning individual reeds.

Yet another object is the provision of a multiple valve reed having avalve means of novel construction.

A further object is the provision of a floating valve construction in areed.

Another object is a reed construction having an improved valve at oneend thereof.

An additional object is the provision in a reed for wind instruments ofa novel seating means for mounting the same in a reed block.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of one form of reed mounted in a reedblock shown as partly broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of one of the reed sections of the reedshown in FIGURES 1-3;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of a second form of reed;

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevation of the opposite side of the reed shown inFIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the reed shown in FIGURES 5 and6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of one of the reed sections shown inFIGURES 5-8;

FIGURE 10 is a front elevation of a third form of reed;

FIGURE 11 is a rear elevation of the'reed shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a side elevation of the structure of FIGURES 10 and 11;

FIGURE 13 is a section taken on the line 1313 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the reed of FIGURES 1012, portions ofthe valves being shown in dotted lines in partially removed position;and

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view of a valve that may be substituted forthe valves of FIGURE 1.

Referring now specifically to the form shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2, thenumeral 10 indicates a broken-away portion of a conventional reedblock,or cell block for the reeds, the same having transverse partitions 12.The reeds 14, of which there may be one dozen, twenty-four, or any othersuitable number, are secured and supported in the spaces or soundchambers 16 in the cell block on the partitions by suitable attachingmeans, such as beeswax, glue, natural or artificial resins, as disclosedin my patent No. 2,599,574, granted June 10, 1952.

While the devices of this invention are particularly "ice adapted foruse as integral parts of an accordian, it will be understood that theyare also adaptable for use as parts of mouth or hand organs, reed organsof the type used in churches, horns of the type entitled Woodwinds andbrasses or any other instrument whose vibrating sounding elements arecontrolled by wind. The reeds of this invention may readily besubstituted in conventional cell blocks for reeds of existing types.Each reed comprises complementary sections 18 and 20 that may bedetachably held together by the screws 22 as shown, or by rivets orother securing means.

As shown in FIGURES 1-4, each pair of reed sections when held togetherby the screws 22 and the screw 22a rigidly supports one end of tongue 24on one of the sections, namely section 20, whose opposite end 26 isfree, in the same manner as shown in my prior patent supra. 'Also, asshown in this patent, there is an opening 28 formed adjacent the freeend of the tongue for air passage into the valve chamber 30. The valvemeans 32 is held in position midway of the chamber 30 by the screws 22.This valve means has a free end or ends 34 and is adapted to closeeither the outlet opening 36 of section 18 or outlet opening 38 ofsection 20 of the reed in accordance with wind pressure. Preferably eachreed section is provided with longitudinal ledges or flanges 4t) and 42whereby to permit the reed to sit further into the sound chamber 16 andthus reduce the overall thickness of the reed block. As each section isprovided with these ledges the reed may be reversible whereby either theflange 40 or flange 42 may rest on a pair of the partitions 12, as shownin FIGURE 3. Each reed when its sections are attached to each otherforms a unit whose longitudinal sides taper from the valve chamber endto the tongue fixed end as shown in FIGURE 2. Additionally, each sectionadjacent its valve chamber end has surfaces 44 and 46 which slope in atransverse opposite direction to its other sloping surfaces 48 and 50.All of these sloping surfaces improve the tonal qualities of the reed,and the ledges 40 or 42 which are about inch deep, provide aconstruction of narrower depth that insures a more compact constructionof the musical implement. A removable covering, not shown, about theends of the reed may be provided as in my patent supra. In any event,the small end of the reed is entirely closed. The screws .22 may bereadily removed for cleaning and tuning the reed.

In the construction shown the ledges 40 or 42 prevent tilt-ing of theread on the reed block partitions 12.

The reeds may be composed of suitable material, but preferably areconstructed principally of metal as is the tongue, with the sides havingthe ledges composed of wood. The valve may be made of paper or othersuitable plastic flexible material.

Additionally, I prefer to construct the valve means of two parts forgreater flexibility and responsiveness, each 'part being of T-shape withthe leg of the T of each part glued or otherwise aflixed to the innerunderside of its section between a pair of screws 22, and the crosspiece of the T located behind the opening 36 or 38 and in ready positionfor closing either opening by the valve which lies immediately adjacentto its opening.

In the second form of the invention, as shown in FIG- URES 5-9, the reedis indicated by the numeral 54. This reed differs from the reed of theother figures in that it consists of sections 56 and 58. Each sectionhas a pair of sloping sides 60 and 62, and sloping ends 64 and 66.Additionally, the longitudinal top sides taper from the sloping ends 64,66 to the opposite or lower ends as shown in FIGURE 7. The tongue 70 isheld to section 56 only by screw 72a, while the sections are held toeach other by screws 72 at the opposite ends of the sections.

Each section is preferably provided with a pair of longitudinallyextending grooves, forming valve chambers 74 as seen in FIGURE 8. Eachvalve chamber has a plurality of valve openings 76, there being four ofthese openings in the reed as shown in this figure. Each opening isprovided with a valve 78 which consists of a strip of paper or otherflexible light plastic or rubberlike material, the valve being pasted at80 or otherwise affixed to the outer side edge of the section, so thatits free side extends in close proximity to but slightly spaced from itsopening. Of course, when wind pressure is applied to this side againstthe valve, it moves into contact with and closes the opening over whichit extends, as indicated in FIGURES 8 and 9. The numeral 72a indicates asingle screw adjacent the sloping ends 64, 66 for connecting thesections to each other, and the screws 72 secure the sections at theiropposite ends.

In this second form of the invention air moves, during the operation ofthe reed, in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of thereed.

In the third form shown in FIGURES 10-14, the reed as a whole isindicated by reference numeral 82.

The structure shown in these figures is similar to that described andshown with reference to FIGURES -9, but is distinguished therefrom inthe following features, particularly in the elongated slots, floatingvalves and the structure used therewith.

The reed consists of reed sections 84 and 86. Each section is providedwith a pair of inclined sides 90 and 92 extending longitudinally of thesection. Extending the entire length of the reed are passages 94 and 96,as seen in FIGURE 14. As will be seen by reference to FIGURE 14 thepassages at the right end of the reed are closed by tape 98. It will beunderstood, however, that the left end of the reed is similarly closed,but the tape at this end has been omitted to better illustrate thefloating valves in the passages 94 and 96.

It will be understood that tape similar to that shown at 98 may be usedto seal both ends of the reeds shown in the other forms, such as theforms of FIGURES 1-9. Such tape prevents the leakage of air at both endsso as to direct the same toward the valve chamber openings.

As in FIGURES 5-9, pairs of valve openings 100 and 102 are provided ineach reed section, but in the structure of FIGURES -14 these openingsare longer than those shown in the second form of the invention. Theopenings are closed by wind pressure against the floating valves 102 and104. These may be of paper, plastic or other light pliable material andextend for the length of the passages 94 and 96.

Each section is provided with an open longitudinal central slot noted asnumber 106 and 108 as are the other forms of the invention, and as isdisclosed by the prior art, such as shown in my patent supra. Theseslots admit air from both sides of the reed to the tongue, which isillustrated at 110. The fixed end of the tongue has an aperture 113 forthe screw 112 or other attaching means, such as a rivet, for connectingone end of each of the reed sections to each other, the other end ofeach reed section being attached to each other by the screw 114 or otherwell known attaching means.

Screws are preferable as the sections may readily be removed from eachother for cleaning the interiors thereof, or for tuning purposes.

The free end of the tongue 110 is shown at 116.

Referring again to the structure shown in FIGURE 4,

in place of the T-shaped valves I may use the valve shown in FIGURE 15.This can consist of a single sheet of paper 116 folded upon itself toform an M. The two free ends 118 and 120 serve as the valves proper, toclose the openings, such as 36 and 38 respectively, of the structure ofFIGURES 1-4, see especially FIGURE 2. All four folds of the valve areprovided with aligned apertures 122, whereby the valve is held betweenthe sections 18 and 20 by screws 22. It will be understood, however,that only a central screw may be used in place of the pair of screws 22shown at the valve end of the reed.

The reeds of the several forms may be composed entirely of metal, asaluminum, or of metal and wood, or other material suitable for thepurpose.

I claim:

1. A reed for wind instrument comprising a plurality of elongatedsections, said sections having elongated sides that taper down tolongitudinal ledges for seating said reed on a reed block, means forconnecting said sections to each other, a tongue having one end fixed insaid reed and a free end, at least one valve chamber in said reedadjacent the free end thereof having outlets, valve means in saidchamber and openings in said chamber adapted to be closed by said valvemeans.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises aflexible sheet.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said valve means comprises a singlesheet of material having folds and free ends, each end adapted to closeone of said outlets.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises at leastone flat piece of flexible material of T shape adapted to close saidoutlets.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve chambers extendlongitudinally of said reed and valve chamber outlets extendlongitudinally adjacent the opposite side ends of said reed.

'6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said valve means comprises flatsheets of material having side edges attached to said reed adjacent saidoutlets.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve chambers extendlongitudinally of the reed and on opposite sides of said tongue, saidoutlets also extending longitudinally of said reed, said valve meanscomprising unattached fioating valve members located within andextending for substantially the length of said valve chambers.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said valve members are composed offiat flexible material freely movable in said chambers whereby to closeone of said outlets in accordance with wind pressure in said valvechamber.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein each reed section is provided withlongitudinally inclined sides and each section is provided with aninclined end located above said valve chamber.

10. The structure of claim 7 wherein said valve chambers have open endsat at least one of their ends, and

closure means for said open ends.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,274,375 2/ 1942Montenare 84--375 2,599,574 6/ 1952 Montenare 84-375 2,787,928 4/1957Magalik et al. 84363 2,864,274 12/1958 Jacomini 84363 2,915,933 12/1959Mariano 84363 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.

1. A REED FOR WIND INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATEDSECTIONS, SAID SECTIONS HAVING ELONGATED SIDES THAT TAPER DOWN TOLONGITUDINAL LEDGES FOR SEATING SAID REED ON A REED BLOCK, MEANS FORCONNECTING SAID SECTIONS TO EACH OTHER, A TONGUE HAVING ONE END FIXED INSAID REED AND A FREE END, AT LEAST ONE VALVE CHAMBER IN SAID REEDADJACENT THE FREE END THEREOF HAVING OUTLETS, VALVE MEANS IN SAIDCHAMBER AND OPENINGS IN SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED TO BE CLOSED BY SAID VALVEMEANS.